Impactful Use Of Social Media Elevates Zulfah Abdulazeez From The Street Of Lagos To Neymar Jr’s Five In Qatar

Football is unarguably the most popular sport in the world and its importance to the unity of the world can’t be ignored.

In the past, women were not allowed to play the game wearing headscarves or hijabs and this move stopped many Muslim sisters from pursuing their dream in the game.

As women’s football continues to break ground in the far east and predominantly Muslim North Africa, more women footballers are playing the game with their hijab.

Thanks to Asmahan Mansour’s “Faith In Football” campaign in 2007, FIFA later formulates a new policy, which allows women to play with a hijab or headscarf but exempts head coverings that expose the neck.

One of the beneficiaries of the new development, is Abdulazeez Zulfah who started her football journey deep down somewhere in the street of Nigeria.

With little or no resources to promote her craft, Zulfah chose to use her Social Media platforms, to her advantage.

She caught the attention of a Nigeria Women’s Sports Advocate, Saidu who introduced her to a Sports Social Media manager who pushed her content on all Molatsportgist platforms. Zulfah would later get offers from schools in the USA willing to sign her into collegiate games but unable to push through as the COVID pandemic outbreak ruined the plans.

Putting her craft in the faces of her audience, she uploads pictures and videos of her training sessions, filled with skills and inspiring drills.

Her never relenting attitude drew her closer to bigger sports media outlets in Nigeria, featuring in a documentary shot by BBC Yoruba and other online prints like Opera News, and Kick442, just to name a few.

While still very active on social media, she came across the Red Bull Neymar Jr’s Five adverts where players across the world were asked to upload their best video showcasing their dribbling skills. With no delay and her ‘born ready’ spirit, she uploaded a video of her showboating in a male-dominated team.

Her skill was mesmerizing enough for Neymar Jr. himself to select her among seven players selected across the world to play alongside him to represent ‘Team Global’ at his annual five-a-side tournament slated for Qatar.